Five officials at Next Digital, parent company of the pro-democracy Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily, were arrested on Thursday (June 17th) under the "national security law," police and media said.
The five executives - including editor-in-chief Ryan Law, chief executive Cheung Kim-hung, chief operating officer Chow Tat-kuen, associate editor Chan Puiman and executive editor Cheung Chi-wai - have were arrested during a raid on the premises of Apple Daily "for collusion with a foreign country or with external elements aimed at endangering national security," Hong Kong police said in a statement.
The newspaper broadcast live videos on Facebook showing the police raid.
Police officers appear there setting up a security perimeter and entering the building.
Second raid targeting Apple Daily
These arrests are the latest police operation targeting the tabloid, which has given unwavering support to the pro-democracy movement.
This is the second raid targeting Apple Daily in less than a year.
The move is the latest blow to the newspaper after authorities last month ordered the freezing of jailed tycoon Jimmy Lai's shares in the newspaper's publisher Next Digital.
With AFP
The summary of the week
France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 application
google-play-badge_FR